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The low cost airline and holiday company is following in the footsteps of Pret a Manger to make the incentive part of booking policy.

It comes after a Monarch study conducted by Professor Jonathan Freeman at i2 Media Research at Goldsmiths University linked being nice to an increase in happiness, perceived health and success.

Nils Christy, Chief Operating Officer at Monarch, added: 'We are often described as the nicer airline and holiday company and we pride ourselves on this. Our customer services staff are already nice – now they can reward those who are positively nice to them too.'

Subject to availability, Monarch customer services staff are allowed to give away a certain amount of the free upgrades for extra leg room seats and priority check in every week.

Christy continued: 'Everyone benefits from niceness. Planes depart more punctually, staff and customers are happier and it improves the travelling experience for everyone.'

The low cost airline and holiday company is following in the footsteps of Pret a Manger to make the incentive part of booking policy

Last year Virgin Atlantic revealed some of the hilarious attempts at blagging an upgrade its customers had made.

The three most common requests for an upgrade, revealed by a survey of 1000 ground staff and cabin crew, were made on the basis that it was the passenger's birthday, they were a friend of Sir Richard Branson and that the trip was a honeymoon.

One man, meanwhile, said that he wanted an upgrade so he wouldn't have to sit next to his wife, while a magician said if he was granted an upgrade he would perform magic tricks for all the crew.

Hilariously, one businessman requested a first class seat so he could 'wave at his boss' in the bar.